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Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology PixieSFResources:Xenobiology

IenjoyStarTrek,Babylon5,StarWarsandalltherest,andinallthesethingsyouhavetosuspendbelieftosomeextent.Buttheydoprovideamentalspringboardinto whatmightreallybe... PlanetsSuitableForLife TheShapeofAlienLife AlienSex(differingreproductivecyclescouldmakeforsomeweirdaliens) Wherearethey? AlternativestoCarbonbasedLife AlternativestoChemistrybasedLife AQuestionofScale(howauniqueperspectivecanmakeusseemalienandbizzare) Return

So what do I know about it? SowhatdoIknowaboutit?

Attheendoftheday,IamjustascientistwithadoctorateinphilosophyworkingforasubsiduaryoftheBritishnuclearindustryandthesearejustmyopinions.Ifyou disagreeorhaveanycommentsorquestionsyouarefreetogoelsewhere,oreventocontactme. ReturntoPixieSFResources

Planets Suitable For Life As mankind spreads out through the universe, what creatures might he encounter and where? Life on Earth has evolved into a myriad of forms, capable of surviving in some very harsh conditions, but it all started in the oceans. Early life and its precursors were very fragile molecules without the survival mechnaisms to protect them that cells and beasts are. Temperature Early life requires a certain temperature band. Above 300oC complex molecules fall apart, below 150oC the molecules are too immobile to interact with each other. We can further refine the temperature range later. The liquid Phase Life will only develop in a liquid. In the gas phase the molecules are too far apart, and too limited in their complexity (big molecules will break up before they become gases). In the solid phase there is no opportunity for association and disassociation. What liquids are suitable? The liquid must be reasonably plentiful on a planet's surface, so larger molecules like hexane are out. Water is the obvious liquid. Hydrogen, helium, oxygen and nitrogen are too low boiling. Chlorine, bromine, carbon disulphide, hydrogen fluoride, etc. are too rare. Ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and methane are possibilities. Of these I would guess that methane is too non-polar to dissolve "interesting" compounds (though it would dissolve oxygen better and provide a ready source of carbon for metabolism), and probably ammonia is the only likely one as it has labile hydrogen allowing complex acid-base chemistry to be sustained. [As an aside, a being from an ammonia world will find suspended animation far easier. Water expands on freezing, which causes cells to burst; no such worry with ammonia.] Temperature revisited Ammonia melts at -78oC, nitrogen dioxide at -11oC, and sulphur dioxide at -75oC so this gives us a new lower limit for temperature (the boiling point of these liquids depends on the atmospheric pressure so an upper limit is not so simple). Another important consideration is how the temperature varies. On Earth, the temperature in the ocean is fairly steady, day and night, summer and winter, and that will have been important. Dramatic fluctuations will tend to break up the fragile moleculars of pre-life. Planets orbiting multiple or variable stars, planets with eccentric orbits, and planets with very long days will be less likely to have life on them. Planet size Planets require a signifiant atmosphere to stop the oceans boiling away and to shield the surface from high energy radiation (UV and higher) which will break down complex molecules. To be able to hold on to an atmosphere they need to have a certain mass. Mars, a third the size of Earth, has virtually no atmosphere, and so no oceans (but it complex; venus is slightly smaller than Earth with 90 times the atmospheric pressure). Is there an upper limit?

PixieRPGResources>>PixieSFResources>>AlienLife>>TheShapeofIntelligentAlienLife

Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology PixieSFResources:Xenobiology

TheShapeofIntelligentAlienLife
Asmankindspreadsoutthroughtheuniverse,whatcreaturesmightheencounterandwhere?

TheCaseforHumanoids
Watchanysciencefictionfilmorseries,andallthealiensarehumanoid.Ofcoursetheyare,theactorsunderthecostumesareallhuman.Butisthisrealistic?Surelyany numberofexoticandbizarreshapesandsizesarepossibly,justlookatthemyriadofinvertebratesthatinhabitthisworld. Butperhapsitisnotsofarfetched.Evolutionisarandomprocessitreliesonrandommutations,andthosethatworksurvivetopassonthemutation.However,random processesarepredictable,especiallywhentherearealotofthem.Rolladietwelvetimes,andyouwillproablygetasixacoupleoftimes.Rollittwelvemilliontimes,and youwillalmostdefinitelygettwomillionsixes,nearenough. Andbecauseevolutionisselective,thisimprovesthechancesofoneformoveranother.Thisisthebasisofparallelevolution,seenwithinourecosystem.Twocompletely differentspeciesactuallylookverysimilarbecausetheyhavefoundthesameniche.Aparticularbreedofmothcaneasilybeconfusedwithhummingbirdsbecauseofits styleofflyinganditslongproboscis.Thereason:bothmothandhummingbirdevoledtofeedfromthesamesourcem,nectarofflowers.

Surfaceorsubaqua
Iflifeisgoingtoforminthesea,wherewilltheintelligenceform?Wouldtheynecessarilyliveontheland? Aquaticalienswouldhavealotofhurdlestotheirtechnologicaldevelopment,thefirstandmosthinderingbeingtheuseoffire.Fireisthebasisofcookery,metallurgyand pottery,amongotherthings.Harnessingelectricitywillbefarmoretricky,usingpaperandinkwillbeverydifficult.Thesemaynotbeinsurmountable,butmayaccountfor thelackofdevelopmentofdolphins. Onewaythesubaquaticalienswouldbenefitwouldbetheabilitytowithstandveryhighgforcesliquidsarenotcompressible,sothealienwillnotbesquashedflat.

SuperevolvedRaces
Evolutionisshapedbyenvironmentandneed.Assoonasaracehaslearnttosatisfyallitsneedsandcontrolitsenvironment,itwillstopevolving.Mankindhasstopped evolving,wedonotpracticesurvivalofthefittest. Fromthispointonanyimprovesintheracialgenepoolwouldhavetobethroughconsciouseffortbreedingoreugenics.Iforonewouldnotcondoneeither,butaliensmight feeldifferently.

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PixieRPGResources>>PixieSFResources>>AlienLife>>AlienSex

Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology PixieSFResources:Xenobiology

AlienSex
Sexisveryimportant,itisalmosttheonlywayforanindividualtoensurethesurvivalofhisorhergenesafterdeath.Andevolutionhasensuredthatsurvivalofone'sgenes isoftheutmostimportancetoalllivingthings.Therefore,themannerofalienreproductionwillhaveahugeeffectontheirlifestyle.

Mankind:AnExample
Humanshavetwogenders,themale(constantlyfertile)impregantsthefemale(fertilityvariesover28daycycle)viainternalfertilisation,whogestatestypicallyasingle younginternally,producingitliveafterninemonths.Genderisdeterminedduringgestation.Theyoungissuckledformanymonths,butremainsdependantforseveral years.Thetwogendersareverysimilarinbuildandshapetheyoungislikewisesimilar,butsmaller.Mostdifferencesarecosmetic.

Somegeneralisation Numberofgenders
Therearesomeveryimportantadvantagestosexualreproduction.Sexualreproduction(i.e.involvingthecombinationofgeneticmaterialfrommorethanoneparent)isvital toevolution.Withasexualreproduction,theyoungareidenticaltotheparent,andallthegenesarepassedon,"good"or"bad".Sexualreproductioncreatesvariationinthe youngthosewithmore"bad"genessurvivelessoften,allowingthe"bad"genestobepurged.sexualreproductionisalsoverygoodand"repairing"DNA. Asexualreproductionisfineinaverystableenvironmentevolutionjustisnotnecessary.Butintelligenceisalongwayuptheevolutionaryladder,youarejustnotgoingto gettherebyasexualreproductionalone. However,thegreatbenefitsthataregainedfromhavingtwoparentsareprettymuchthesameashavingthree,fourorfiveparents.Sowhyhavemorethantwo?Itwilljust complicatethematingprocess,wastingvaluableeffortbetterspentonsurvival.Thisistrueonthemolecularlevel.DNAismadeoftwostrandswhenacelldividesone strandgoesineachhalf.Duringsexualreproduction,eachparentdonatesonestrand.Thereisnoneedforthreestrands,sonothirdparent. Ifeelconfidentsayingthatintelligentraceswillhavereproducethroughsexualunioninvolvingtwoindividuals. Somefurtherpossibilities:
l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l

Theycanalsoengageinasexualreproduction,incertaincircumstances(egfissionofaplanarianflatworm,buddingofahydra),perhapsduringearlystagesoflifecycle. Thefemalecanalsoengageinparthenogenicreproduction(ietheeggofthefemaledevelopeswithoutbeingfertilised),incertaincircumstances. Theyreproducesexuallytoproduceonegender,parthenogenicallytoproducetheother(forexamplethehoneybee). Theyarehermaphrodites,andcantakemaleorfemaleroleduringsexualcongress Theyarehermaphrodites,andtakebothmaleandfemaleroleduringsexualcongress Theychangegenderatacertainstageintheirlifecycle Theycanchangetheirgenderseveraltimesduringtheirlifetime Further"genders"exist,butthesearenotinvolveddirectlyinmating(forexampleantsandbees) Thefemalegestatestheyounginasecondarycavity,suchasthemouthoradedicatedpouch(egkangeroo) Theyounggestateexternallyafterinternalfertilisation(egreptilesandbirds) Theyounggestateexternallyafterexternalfertilisation(egfishandamphibians) Themalegestatestheyoung(egseahorses) Athirdgenderisusedtogestatetheyoung Anotherspeciesisusedtogestatetheyoung(forexamplecertainwasps) Aftersexualunionthefemalecanstorespermindefinitely,untilneeded Themaleisparasiticonthefemale(egdeepseaanglerfish) Thereisalarvalstagethelarvalarequiteunliketheadult(egbutterflies)

Numberofyoungandfamilylife
Intelligentracesare(almost)certaintobenuturingandhavesmallfamilies.Thisisvitaltoallowtheyoungtobeeducated(especiallybeforedaycare centresandnurseries areinvented),andanythingthespecieshaslearnttobepassedfromonegenerationtothenext,notleastofalltoallowlanguagedevelopment.

SuperIntelligentDeepSeaAnglerFish
Thisisthefirstofanumberofexamplealienraceswithreproductionbasedonterrestialcreatures. Reproduction:TheSidsafareunusualinthatthenonsentientmaleiseffectivelyaparasiteonthefemale.Intheearlystagesofdevelopmentthetwogendersarevery similar,butthemalestopsmaturingandgrowingafteroneyear. Thefemale,meanwhile,continuestodevelopforaroundtenyears,eventuallybecomingaboutfiftytimesthesizeofthemale.Uponmaturitythefemaleemitsapheramone whichattactstheoneyearoldmale.Themalebitesthefemale,latchingonsecurely.Overthenextfewmonthsmostoftheinternalorgansofthemaleatrophy,asitis sustaineddirectlybythefemaleinaplacentalikearrangement. Whenthefemaleisready,shereleasesahormonewhichtriggersareleaseofspermfromthemale,fertilisingherowneggs.Twoorthreeyoungaretypicallygestated internally,foraroundsixmonths. Aboutthreetimesasmanymalesareproducedasfemales,andtheymustfindafemalewithinamonthofmaturingordie.Femalesoftenhavemorethanonemale attached. Implications:Thenumberofattachedmalescouldbecomequiteastatusindicator,andnoblehousesmighttradetheirmales,orevendemandamaletithefromthe commoners.

SuperIntelligentHoneyBee
Reproduction:TheSihbfemalecanreproduceparthenogenicallytoproducesexlessdrones,orsexuallytoproducemalesandfemales.

Implications:Thenumberofattachedmalescouldbecomequiteastatusindicator,andnoblehousesmighttradetheirmales,orevendemandamaletithefromthe commoners.

SuperIntelligentHoneyBee
Reproduction:TheSihbfemalecanreproduceparthenogenicallytoproducesexlessdrones,orsexuallytoproducemalesandfemales.

SuperIntelligentPlanarianFlatworm
Reproduction:

SuperIntelligentButterfly
Reproduction:ThefemaleSibproducesasinglebroodofthreetosixyoung,orwhichabouttwothirdsarefemale.Theyoung(larvae)havenoresemblencetotheadultthey areessentiallyfeedingmachinesandmustbeprovidedwithfoodbythemale.Theygrowquickly,reachingadultsizeinayear.Thefemaleisalsogorgingherselfduringthis time. Thelarvaereturntothefemale,burrowingintoherflesh,wheretheystayforthreemonths,slowingabsorbingnutritionfromthefemalewhiletheymetamorphasiseintothe adultform.Thefemaledoesnotsurvivethisprocess. Uponemerging,thefemaleSibisfullygrowanddeveloped.Themalewillnotbecomesexuallydevelopedforafurthernineyears.Onlytheadultmaleisintelligent. Implications:Inbreeding

GenderChangers
Reproduction:TheGechaarebornfemale,thoughtheydonotmaturesexuallyforabouttenyears.Theygestatethesingleyounginternallyinasimilarfashiontohumans. Afteraboutseventotenpregnanciestheyundergoachange,andtheirreproductivesystemalterstothatofthemale.Inaddition,certaincosmeticdifferencesnowappear, themostobviousbeingthebonycrestonthehead. Thissystemensuresthemostsuccessfulfemale(i.e.abletosurvivemanybirths)andmale(abletofightoffcompetitors)isthetheindividualwhosegenesflourish. Implications:Inearlysocieties,thedangersofchildbirthmeantthatfewGechafemalessurvivedtobecomemales.Thosethatdidwouldfiercelyprotecttheirpositionand banishorkillanyrivals.Themaleofthetribewasvenerated,aswiseandmature,andnaturallywastheleader. Arecessivegenetictraitappearsperiodically,inwhichthefemalechangestomaleafterasinglepregnancy.Theresultmaletendstobestrongerthananyothers,byvirtue ofhisyouth,andquicklybecomesdominant.Thenextgenerationallhavethesamegenetictrait,andsoonthereisanexcessofmalesandveryfewfemales.Inearly societies,thetribewouldusuallydieout,butastravelbecamemorecommonthesemaleswouldmovetoothersettlements,andthecyclewouldbeginagain.Suchmales slowlybecamepariahs,andstrangermaleswereconsideredsuspect. Astechnology,andspeciallyhealthcare,improvedthenumberoffemalesundergoingthechangeincreaseddramatically.Amovetowardsurbanlifealsoblurredthe distinctionbetweentribes.Fightingbetweenmalesbecomewidespreadandcommon.Oncehormonaldrugsbecameavailablethesituationbecamemorecomplex. Femalescouldchoosenottobecomepregnantorchoosenottobecomemale,andcouldeasilybeolderthanthemales.Theydemandedthattheybeaccordedthehigher statusthatmalesreceived.

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PixieRPGResources>>PixieSFResources>>AlienLife>>WherearetheAliens?

Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology PixieSFResources:Xenobiology

WherearetheAliens?
Oneproblemthecreatorofasciencefictionuniverseis"Wherearethealiensnow?"ormorespecifically:
l l

Ifintelligentlifeissocommonthroughouttheuniverse,whyhavewenotbeenvisited? Howcomenoneofthealiensweencounterarevastlymoreadvancedthanus?

Ifintelligentlifeissocommonthroughouttheuniverse,whyhavewenotbeenvisited?
Thereareanumberofscenariosthatcouldbeconsidered: Wehave:Obviouslymanypeoplebelievewearealreadyincontactwithaliens,andwhetherthisistrueornot,itcouldbeusedinasciencefictionuniverse,thoughyou wouldneedsomerationalefortheirpeculiarbehavior. Wearethefirst:Thisisunlikely,butobviouslynotimpossiblesomeonehastobefirst.Butthechancesofanyotherraceshappeningtodevelopinterstellartravelwitha thousandyearsofusafter10,000millionyearsofnoonedoingsoisstretchngcredibility. Interstellartravelisnotpractical:Perhapsthespeedoflightreallyisthefastestwecango,andanyalienswouldhavetospendatleastadecadeontheroundtriptovisit us.However,thisscenariodoespreventEarthpeoplegettingtootherstarsandmeetingaliens. Alienschoosenottovisitus:Theymayhavea"primedirective",prohibitingcontactwithprimitivecultures.OnceEarthpeoplehavedevelopedinterstellartravelfor themselves,theycanjointheclub.

Howcomenoneofthealiensweencounterarevastlymoreadvancedthanus?
Abiggerproblemtomymindisthatsomeofthesealiensmusthavebeenaroundforaverylongtime. Theemergenceofanintelligentstarfaringraceistheculminationofagreatnumberofsteps,(formationofthesun,formationofaplanet,appearanceoforganicmolecules, replicatingmolecularassemblies,multicellularorganisms,sexualreproductionandsoon).Eachofthesewilltakealongtime,butthelengthoftimewillvarygreatly.
[TheNormaldistributioncurve , showingappearanceof space faringracesagainsttime .]

Onamillionpossibleplanets,averyfewwilldeveloplifeveryfast,somewhatmorewilldevelopquitefast,mostwilldevelopatanaverage rate.Quitealotwillbeslow,andasmallnumberveryslow.Humansmightbeanywhereonthecurve. Perhapsweareoneoftheveryfirst.Ifthereareotherracestheymightbesofarspreadoutthroughthegalaxythatweneverfindthem. Otherplanetsmightbeteamingwithlife,butmosthaveonlyprimitiveplants,orperhapsnomulticellularlifeatall.

Perhapswearenotoneofthefirst.Thereareplentyofotherintelligentracesouttherewaitingtomakefriendswithus.Butsomeofthemarevery,veryadvanced,having developedspaceflightmorethanamillionyearsearlier.Whymightthesealiensbecapableofnow,ifweconsiderhowmankindhasleaptforwardinthelasthundredyears?

Findinganewplanet
Inaroleplayinggame,ifthecharactersdiscoveranewplanetcapableofsustaininglifetheGMshouldrolltoseewhatstageofitsdevelopmentitisat.Usethetablebelow, whichisbasedonEarth'sdevelopment.Rollad10000twice(ifyoudonothavead10000,rollfourd10s,anduseoneforeachdigit)andaddthemtogether.Dividedthe resultbyfour,andthensubtract4600.ThisgivestheequivalentagerelativetotheEarthiftheresultisnegative,consultthetablebelowtodeterminetheplanet's development.Ifthenumberispositive,thisnumberishowmanymillionyearsmoreadvancedthanmankindthealiensare. Example1.Iroll5,4,8and6withmyfourd10s,giving5486,then1,0,5and2,giving1052(total6538).Idividethisbyfour(1634.5)andsubtract4600,togive2965.5.A lookatthetableindicatesthatlifeonthisplanethasonlyjuststarted. Example2.Iroll9,8,7and2withmyfourd10s,giving9872,then9,6,5and9,giving9659(total19531).Idividethisbyfour(4882.75)andsubtract4600,togive282.75.In thiscase,theplanetismoreadvancedthanEarth,andthepeopledevelopedinterstellartravelnearlythreehundredmillionyearsago.

Period Prelife Archaean Proterozoic Cambrian Ordovician Silurian Devonian Carboniferous Permian Triassic Jurassic

Began(million Notes yearsago) 4600 3800 2500 590 505 438 408 360 286 248 213 Earthforms Startoflife Lifeintheseas Sealifedevelops Firstfishes Firstlandplants Amphibians Firstreptiles Spreadofreptiles Reptilesandearlymammals Ageofdinosaurs

Devonian Carboniferous Permian Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous Tertiary(palaecene) Tertiary(Eocene) Tertiary(Oligocene) Tertiary(Miocene) Tertiary(Pliocene) Quarternary(Holocene)

408 360 286 248 213 144 65 55 38 25 5 0.01

Amphibians Firstreptiles Spreadofreptiles Reptilesandearlymammals Ageofdinosaurs Twilightofdinosaurs Largemammals Primatesappear Developmentofprimates Moderntypeanimals Apeman Truemen Modernmen

Quaternary(Pleistocene) 2

Itwillberealised,ofcourse,thatmostplanetshaveonlyveryprimitivelife,andthechancesofmeetingaraceatthesametechnologicallevelasmangiveortakeahundred thousandyears,isoftheoderofoneintenthousand.Ifyouwanttohavemoreintelligentraces,useasmallernumberinsteadof4600,butbeawarethatsomeracescould easilybebillionsof

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Pixie RPG Resources >> Pixie SF Resources >> Alien Life >> The Alternatives to Carbon-Based Life

Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology

Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology The Alternatives to Carbon-Based Life
All life on this planet is carbon-based. Carbon atoms readily form a strong bond between themselves and a range of other atoms, most importantly hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, but it is the strength of the carbon-carbon bond that is most significant. This allows carbon atoms to be linked together in chains and rings, building up an unimaginably vast range of compounds. Oxygen and nitrogen, in contrast, too readily form the diatomic molecules (O2 and N2) to form chains. Fluorine, chlorine and the other halogens, and hydrogen are monovalent, so cannot form chains. The noble gases are inert. So what alternatives are there?

Silicon-Based
Silicon is the element most like carbon (it is directly beneath carbon on the periodic table), a fact picked up by more than one science fiction writer. But the silicon-silicon bond is extremely weak, and will fall apart in contact with water, for instance. A more likely possibility is an silicon-oxygen backbone to the molecule. The oxygen-silicon bond is strong, it is what defines sand, and a range of compounds based on this system, silicones, are manufactured in this world. Whether they could encompass the complexity required for life is impossible to say, but I would not rule it out. The problem with a silicon-oxygen world is; what is the driving force? Carbon based life can be divided between oxidizers (animals burn food to produce carbon dioxide) and reducers (plants use carbon dioxide in photosynthesis). Silicon based life does not have this potential, and would presumably more closely resemble fungi. While there may be lifeforms that eat the silica-fungi, they would be 'low energy' lifeforms, without the strength to move around.

Nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur

Three other elements offering possibilities are nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Phosphurus and sulfur both form long chain molecules, and so potentially could be built up into complex macromolecules, though phosphorus is fairly reactive. But more likely is a combination of these. Phosphorus-nitrogen (P-N) compounds form a fascinating range of molecules, including rings. So how would it work? Although our atmosphere is 80% nitrogen, this would probably not be much help to a P-N lifeform, as elemental nitrogen (N2) is very inert (though certain plants, legumes, can 'fix' nitrogen). Perhaps more likely is a nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or ammonia (NH3) atmosphere.

Nitrogen dioxide atmosphere

Nitrogen actually forms a number of oxides with oxygen (N2O, N2O4), and all will be present in this hypothetical world. P-N plant analogues absorb nitrogen dioxide from the atmosphere, and phosphorus from the ground. The nitrogen dioxide is reduced, and P-N sugar analogues are produced, with oxygen being released into the atmosphere. P-N animal analogues consume the plants. Drawing in oxygen, they metabolize the P-N sugar analogues, exhaling nitrogen dioxide, and depositing phosporus (or phosphorus rich material) as solid waste.

Ammonia atmosphere
In a chemical sense, this is a reversal of our world. P-N plant absorb ammonia from the atmosphere and phosphorus from the ground. The ammonia is oxidised, P-N sugars are formed and hydrogen released. P-N animals are now the reducers, breathing in hydrogen, converting te P-N sugars to ammonia and phosphorus.

Metals
Metals form large molecules, though the fact is often over looked, and they will bond with other atoms, such as other metals (this is called doping). Could this be the base of alien life? The problem here is that there is too much bonding between atoms. A solid three dimensional network is great for building bridges from, but is just too immobile to allow any kind of life. Never mind moving legs, there is not even the potential to orchestrate chemical reactions. Return to Pixie SF Resources

PixieRPGResources>>PixieSFResources>>AlienLife>>AlternativesToChemistrybasedLife

Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology PixieSFResources:Xenobiology

AlternativesToChemistrybasedLife
Theseideasareveryalternativeformsoflifeindeed,itcouldbearguedthattheyarenottechnicallylifeatall.Butadventurersinouterspacecould(justpossibly)encounter suchthings.

Electromechanical
Robotsandandroidswouldfallinthiscatagory,mechanismsthathavebeendesignedandbuilt. Sowhyisarobotalive,butnotawashingmachine?Bothrespondtoexternalstimuli(inthelattercasepressingbuttonsandturningadial),bothgivepredictableresults (althoughthismaybeverytrickyintheformercaseitcanbedone).Thedifferenceismerelyamatterofcomplexity.

Virtual
Artificialintelligence(AI)isavirtuallifeform,asisacomputervirusoraholosuitecharacter.Whileelectromechanicallifeishousedinonebody,avirtuallifeformisapiece ofsoftwareonly,ithasnophysicallocationorsubstance.Itcanbecopiedonafloppydisk,transportedovertheInternet,existinpartsspreadoveranumberofcomputers. Theproblemwithvirtuallifeisdecidingwhetheritisindeedlife.AnAIcannot(necessarily)reproduce,avirushasnosenseofself.Isacomputerspritealiveoraword processorpackage?

Quantum
Virtuallifeismerelyacertainconfigurationofelectronswithinacomputer.Supposethiscouldhappenoutsideacomputer,astructurewithinthequantumstatesofa collectionofparticles. Anumberofquantumworldsarepossibletoo,relatingtomagnitudesofenergy.Oneeco systemmightexistintherotationalquantuumlevels,anotherinthevibrational. Ofcourseinacomputerthememoryhasbeendesignedtoretainitsstate,sovirtuallifeformscanhaveextendedlifetimes.Inthequantuumworldthereisnoclearwaythat thesecreaturescouldmaintaintheirinternalorganisation,soitwouldhavetobesaidthatsuchlifeformsareexceedinglyunlikely.

Energy
AfavouriteofStarTrek,canbeingsofpureenergyexist?Suchthingswouldnotbecomposedofmatterorthepropertiesofmatter,suchasmass,electromagnetic potential,velocity,chemicalpotential,elevationorheat.Suchmaterialhasnotbeendetectedperhapsbecauseitdoesnothavetheseproperties.Ifalifeformofthisnature existed,howwouldweeverfindit?

Strangematterlife
Couldlifeforminplasma,compressedmatter,etc.?Whoknows?

Replicator
Giventhatreplicatorscanbebuilt(whichseemsunlikely),itshouldbepossibletoputintotheirmemoryakitofpartstocreateasecondreplicator.Replicatorsmightthen formasymbioticlifestylewithman.Manhelpsthereplicatortoreproduce,andinreturnthereplicatorprovidesthemanwithfood.

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PixieRPGResources>>PixieSFResources>>AlienLife>>AQuestionofScale

Pixie SF Resources: Xenobiology PixieSFResources:Xenobiology

AQuestionofScale
Arecentsurveyofplanet52053.3hasdiscoveredamostunusuallifeform.Itdisplaysaremarkabledegreeofsexualdimorphism,themalebeingmobile,whilethefemaleis sessileandthousandsoftimesthesizeofthemale. Thefemalehasasphericalshape,andalifespanof5000to15000daynightcyles.Itistotallysessile,spendingthevastmajorityofitslifeinavastorganicstructure. Duringthematingprocess,bothmaleandfemaleformsaredestroyed,buttheprocessofdestructioninitiatesacomplexseriesofchemicalreactions,leadingtothe buildingofacomplexautonomousstructure,withinwhichtheyoungarecreated.Theformoftheseorganicmechanismsvarieswidely.Mostareambulatory,andproduce eitheronlymalesoronlyfemales.Theyrangeinsizeconsiderably,butareinvariablyhugelybiggerthanthefemale.Theirpurposeappearssimplytobetobringmalesand femalestogether,maximimisingthegenepoolmix,butthiscanbehaphazardtosaytheleast,andtheverysizeofthestructuresrequiresthataconsiderableamountof energyandtimeisdevotedtothecollectofbiomattertosustainthem. Onthepositiveside,theorganicstructuresprovideacontrolledenvironmentforthelifeforms,allowingthemtoovercometheproblemsoflowsalinityenvironmentandevenin somecasesnonaqueousconditions. Withthewholegumultofevoloutionarynichesneatlyfilledbyonesolution(i.e.theorganicmechanisms),itdoesappearthatthelifeformitselfisseverelyunderdeveloped, foraworldthathassupportedlifeforseveralbillionyears.Thecreationofthisstageinthelifecyclecouldbedescribesasaevolutionarydeadend,andallhopeoffinding intelligenceherehasbeenabandoned.

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